


Home

by EmptyOliveJar



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem 外伝 | Fire Emblem Gaiden
Genre: Ace Python, Aro Lukas, Canon-Typical Violence, Flashbacks, Happy Ending, Lukas's unnamed brother makes some minor appearances, Multi, OC villain - Freeform, Polyamory, canonverse, post Echoes, some minor pda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-21 20:10:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11951727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmptyOliveJar/pseuds/EmptyOliveJar
Summary: After temporarily parting ways after the events of Echoes, Lukas, Python and Forsyth recall what initially drew them together as they return home to one another.





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> *quick note* Line breaks indicate a change in perspective.

Even after the gods were slain and Alm and Celica rose to become king and queen of a unified Valentia, life didn’t change for the members of the Deliverance for a great while. There were still pockets of the Duma faithful or those who believed that Alm and Celica were weak enough to be dispatched as King Lima IV or Emperor Rudolph had been to contend with. For so long, home was just the rows of tents that they pitched. As the campaign pressed on, home could be found in the hearts of those they fought beside, laughed and cried with, shared embraces and kisses with, that they sometimes had to bury. It was more than many of them had ever had or while it wasn’t the warm hearth they’d gone off to defend, it was at least enough to sustain them.

Yet the day eventually did come when the Deliverance was called to the castle and formally disbanded. Many rushed back to their villages, friends, and family as swiftly as they could. The rest were forced to contend with a loss of a calling and struggled to find a place for themselves after having fought and fought and fought for the peace that they hadn’t been positive would ever arrive.

Lukas had experienced enough fighting for one lifetime. While he held no regrets about being signed onto the Deliverance, he hadn’t been idle before his brother had sent him away and being torn from his work had pained him. His family had access to wealth, education. It was time that they give back to those around him. Upon arriving home, he used what remained of his family’s wealth after much of it had been poured into bribes to keep Desaix’s soldiers away from their manor to begin building a school.

With Forsyth, he knew immediately what he wanted when he was offered the opportunity to put away his armor and lance. Instead of doing any such thing, he, along with many others, were given the titles of knights of Valentia. It was what he’d always dreamed of and the thought of his name appearing in the history books as Sir Forsyth would put a tear in his eye if he thought about it too hard. Python would always give him a good-natured punch to the shoulder when he got like that. He’d traded a good, albeit somewhat stuffy life of books to get here, and after giving nearly everything he’d had to give, he’d made it. 

For Python, there was little difference between life during and after the Deliverance. He didn’t need a title to know in his heart that he’d played a part in heralding forth this fresh chapter in Valentian history. In fact, all it would do was give people unrealistic expectations of how much he was willing to do. Still, since he wasn’t yet ready to put down his bow, Python joined a small group dedicated to keeping the peace in volatile areas where Alm and Celica’s decrease of peace didn’t quickly reach. It became apparent that he was best suited to lead the group given his experience in a military. After so long having to be the one to remind the Deliverance of its faulty reliance on bloodlines and ideals, being the one to wear the mantle of leadership was a challenge that he was for once ready and eager to accept. 

The three of them had been as one once and even as they went their separate ways, they still carried pieces of each other’s hearts with them. They had carried their own goals throughout the campaign, goals that couldn’t be ignored forever. The sting of being apart wouldn’t last forever, that much they had vowed. So when morning dawned after a long night that they’d spend together inside the castle, honored guests of Alm and Celica alongside all of the others, they parted. Lukas went home. Forsyth remained at the castle. Python simply tossed a coin at each fork in the road he came across. Months began to pass.

~~~~~

It was Python that went in search of home first. Unsure where Forsyth and his jolly band of knights would be and being unwilling to write to anyone to find out, he took the surefire route to find at least one of them and went to Lukas’s manor. He trusted that his band wouldn’t implode if he left for a while and he missed Lukas and Forsyth more than he cared to admit. Besides, Python doubted that Lukas knew the first thing about building and if he wanted to have that schoolhouse he’d always talked about, he’d need someone who knew what they were doing and wouldn’t completely rip him off.

~~~~~

While Lukas had known that Python hadn’t been born with a bow in his hands, he was surprised at the diligence Python showed in designing and constructing the schoolhouse and how much care went into the small details. The position of the windows to let in as much natural light as possible, the many rooms for different subjects to be taught in, the office that was built for Lukas’s use. Lukas knew that it was going to be just as he’d always imagined, perhaps even better.

Unsure how to fully convey how much this all meant to him, Lukas only said what he could one day, coming over and steadying the piece of wood Python was sawing at. 

“Thank you for being here.” 

Python looked up at him, making a face. Just because he was doing work willingly didn’t mean by any extent that he was enjoying himself. Still, there was a ghost of a smile on his face. 

“I just hope Forsyth takes a break from prancing around with the other knights to come help sometime in the near future.” 

“I wrote to him some weeks ago. He should be coming at any time.” 

“As nice as that is, I ain’t ready to listen to him go on and on about how I got here first when he decides to show up. The last thing he needs is to think I’ve finally went and developed a work ethic.” 

Python sighed and Lukas smiled at the image he’d conjured up. After wiping the sweat from his brow, Python exchanged his saw for the nearby waterskin, taking a long pull before handing it to Lukas. 

“You wouldn’t be here working like this if you didn’t care deeply. It means a great deal to me.” 

“It’s a good thing you’re pretty if that’s all you’ve figured out. Maybe you should put your nose back into those lesson books you’ve been buying by the armful.”

Lukas cocked his head at the double meaning of Python’s words. “Then enlighten me. Let the teacher become the student.” 

“Yeah, I care. But why I’m here choking on sawdust is because you care. This is what stokes the fire in you, I could tell from the minute I heard you were building this place. That’s why I came.”

“It’s good to have you back, Python. None of us were sure how long your wanderlust would last.”

“Long enough. Things ain’t the same out there with the others. Sure, they’re decent enough people, but they’re no replacement for you and Forsyth.” 

“I would certainly hope not.” Lukas said with a smile. “We’re losing the light. How about we go home for the night?” 

Python rose, stretching like he hadn’t taken a break not even a half hour ago. Considering that he’d managed to work off and on nearly the entire day, Lukas couldn’t fault him. 

“How could I say no to that?”

~~~~~

Later that night, Python found himself in Lukas’s bed absentmindedly running his fingers through Lukas’s hair, the latter dozing off. Seeing the look on his brother’s face when Python had passed him in the manor hall had been glorious. It would have been even better if he’d known that his younger brother kept intimate company with not one, but two men of low birth. However, as pleased as he was to have Lukas’s familiar form tucked against him, he missed Forsyth arm’s around his waist. It didn’t feel right when they weren’t all together. 

That first night he and Lukas spent together was one that held a special place in his heart. It was after the conversation they’d had about true love, or rather, a lack thereof. It had been the first time Python had ever met someone who felt similarly and he imagined that it was the same for Lukas. He initially didn’t let it show how excited he’d been after the exchange, but later that night, he’d slipped inside Lukas’s tent. Lukas had been on his cot, trying to sleep. Sitting up, he blinked at him.

“What is it?”

Python grinned at him. “Sleepover time, that’s what. Move over.”

Python hadn’t actually been expecting Lukas to do so, ready to be told to get the hell back to his own tent. Yet to his surprise, Lukas just flipped the corner of his blanket back and gave Python some room on the cot. After pulling off his boots, Python slipped in next to him.

“Looks like I’m learning more about you at every turn.” 

Lukas shrugged. “I strive to be an open book. Why you’re here is less clear, though. I thought you didn’t care for this sort of thing.”

“I don’t. That doesn’t mean that I don’t like this, though.” Python kissed Lukas on the corner of the mouth. “I thought that maybe you felt the same. Or maybe not. You have options.” 

For a long second, Lukas just stared at Python, not moving. While he wasn’t disgusted, he also wasn’t exactly thrilled about what Python had just done. Leave it to Lukas to remain utterly indifferent even after being kissed. Mother Mila, this had been a mistake. 

“Not your cup of tea. Oh well, it was worth a shot. I’ll go ahead and skedaddle, then. Sorry about the-” 

Python was starting to slip out of the cot to leave when Lukas put a hand on his shoulder, bringing him back to him and kissing him squarely. It was hard for Python not to smile as he did so. Lukas may not have had any fire, but ice could burn just as deeply. He was cool, collected, and when he wasn’t worrying about about breaking some poor girl’s heart Lukas moved freely and fiercely. Python gleefully allowed Lukas to pull himself on top of him and slip his tongue into his mouth. It was only when Lukas put his hand under Python’s shirt that Python pulled away. 

“No thanks, stud. Go ask Forsyth if you want someone to roll around with.”

Lukas moved off of Python, turning so they could talk face to face. “I apologize for that.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Python said, waving his hand lazily.

“Why Forsyth?”

“If you think he’s energetic on the battlefield, imagine what he’s like in bed.” Python teased, winking.

“.... Thank you for the advice, I guess.”

“Any time.” He paused, letting out a tremendous yawn. “As much as I like chatting, I need to get some sleep. Want me to leave?”

“No, please stay. I won’t try to touch you like that again.”

“Never say never, but thanks. Do I at least get a smooch goodnight?”

They indeed indeed share one last kiss before bedding down for the night, Lukas’s body warm against his under the thin blanket. 

~~~~~

Forsyth carried a few bottles of wine in his saddlebag, his horse lazily picking the way through familiar terrain. Knights were expected to be proficient at mounted combat, but Forsyth was still getting the hang of it. He missed having his feet planted on the ground in sturdy armor. It didn’t help that his horse, a piebald mare with an attitude, knew very well that Forsyth wasn’t in complete control and constantly did her best to exploit it, regularly trying to leave the path to graze or go at any pace other than the one Forsyth desired.

If Python was in a good mood, Forsyth thought he might be able to get him to share some tips for dealing with stubborn horses. Towards the end of the campaign, Python had acquired a shy gelding after a group of enemy soldiers had been forced to retreat from the stronghold they’d been guarding, leaving behind everything from supplies to fine cavalry horses. He somehow managed to get the horse to not only to trust him, but to be comfortable with arrows being shot from his back and the return fire when Python’s aim was off. Worst came to worst, maybe he could give the horse to Lukas and then try to find a more forgiving mount. With his calm disposition, he’d probably be able to get some use out of her, if only to pull a cart. Animals liked Lukas and it was a joke among the camp that with his size, Lukas would have made a good Pegasus knight. Forsyth missed them both terribly, but he did his best to turn that longing into drive to be the best knight he could for Alm and Celica and for them.

He’d met Python when they were young men. Forsyth’s father moved the family when he was offered a position translating old texts in Python’s village. The job had come with a modest salary and a cottage. What they hadn’t been told was how much work the cottage actually needed. The first time Forsyth saw Python was when his father hired Python’s to try to repair the cottage as much as they could afford. Python had been brought along to help. He was wiry and headstrong and when Forsyth’s father explained their budget limitations, the compromise was for Python to receive lessons in exchange for some of the repairs. It was a fair trade, but Forsyth always wondered if it was just to give Python something to do to keep him out of his father’s way. At the end of the day, Forsyth didn’t care. They’d put their books away, Python’s father would pack up his tools, and then Python would go off to practice his archery, sometimes taking Forsyth with him and letting him use his practice lance.

It had been an old fantasy of his that Python felt anything special for him. He’d honestly given it up and moved on until he’d overhead Python and Leon speaking by a dying cookfire. Over the noise of the camp, they hadn’t heard him approach and he waited outside their lines of vision when he registered what they were gossiping about, guiltily wanting to hear what they had to say.

“The one with the red hair? He’s handsome. Short, though.”

Python huffed. “Not everyone can wear armor the size of Valbar’s, pretty boy. Lukas is perfect the way he is.”

“I wasn’t trying to start a fight.” Leon said, putting his palms in the air. “I guess something about men in armor just does something to a guy. Glad I’m not the only one.”

Smirking knowingly, Python just gazed at the dying coals. At the time, Celica and Alm’s armies had merged only days earlier and Leon knew next to nothing about Python. Python loved to flirt, whether it be to make someone smile, strike up conversation, or just mess with people, but at the end of the day, he was a lone wolf. It wasn’t a secret that what was between Python and Lukas was more than friendship, but it also wasn’t quite romantic. They were happy and in turn Forsyth was happy for them. Or at least as happy as he could be when he felt so left out. The past two times he’d been in love it had been with Python and Lukas respectively and yet nothing had resulted from either experience. 

“So we all know your opinion on Lukas. What do you think of Forsyth, then?”

Forsyth huffed, ready for any number of complaints about him to come from Python’s mouth. Maybe he’d say something genuinely kind about their longstanding friendship somewhere in there. What Python ended up saying left Forsyth having to lean against the tree trunk.

“He’s one of the best men I’ve ever met. That drive of his could move mountains and he’s smart as a whip to boot. Sure, he’s missing some common sense, but he gets along just fine without it. He’s the reason I’m here.”

“You followed him here?” Leon asked, a hint of pain in his voice.

“Not even remotely.” Python replied. “He dragged me out here. Unlike Forsyth, I can’t work all day and then just go to bed, ready to do it all again the next day. It doesn’t do anything for me. On the best of days I barely tolerate it. But I stay here for him.”

“Do you love him?”

“I’m ain’t about heart eyed declarations of undying love, but I care deeply about a lot of people. Forsyth is one of ‘em. And if you go around telling anyone I said that we’re going to find out very quickly who can notch an arrow faster.”

“I don’t understand why you haven’t spoken to him about this then. We’re soldiers, Python. Anything can happen. Don’t leave yourself regretting what went unsaid.”

“Leon, you honestly don’t get it. Sure, maybe I love him, just not in a way that would lead to anything. He’s the type of guy who wants the full package in a relationship and I don’t have that to offer.”

“Does Lukas know about any of this?”

“Of course he does. Lukas and I work because we don’t expect wild, animalistic passion and unyielding devotion to each other. Forsyth is another story. While Lukas and I have talked about asking if he wanted in with us, especially after Forsyth tried so hard to flirt with him, it hasn’t gone beyond that.”

Leon rose, dusting off his clothes. “There’s a lot of love in this world, Python. Maybe you should actually ask Forsyth how he’d feel about being in a relationship with you two rather than making excuses to avoid your feelings.” 

Walking straight towards him, all Forsyth could do was freeze as Leon breezed passed, patting him on the arm and letting Python know that he’d been standing there the whole time.

“Don’t threaten me with your bow when you can’t tell when you’re being targeting.” Leon said snidely, smiling at Python.

That night felt like it had taken place decades ago. Forsyth went over to Python, asking if what he’d said had been true. Not long later, he, Lukas, and Python sat down and talked over how they felt. Forsyth had never met any other triads, but he knew they existed. And he knew that if they were together, it would make him a happy man. They agreed to give it a try.

Ready to make new memories with the two people he loved, Forsyth did his best to urge his horse forward, eager to cover the remaining miles. He only slowed down when he saw and heard the signs of a skirmish in the distance as he approached the rising skeleton of the schoolhouse, where he’d been told Lukas and Python would be during daylight hours.

~~~~~

Python was immediately on alert when he heard the thunderous sound of a group of horses approaching. The formation was undisciplined, but it was the shouting and cruel laughter that had him searching for his bow and quiver. Lukas looked out towards the schoolyard, jaw clenching.

“Friends of yours?”

Lukas let out a long breath. “Local ruffians. I was told by their leader that if I tried to build this school there would be consequences.”

Unfortunately, Python wasn’t at all surprised. Criminals thrived on ignorance. If Lukas wanted to take the local populace and teach them respectable and thriving trades or even basic skills such as reading, writing, arithmetic, it would make it harder for people like these lot to plunder as they pleased. Knowledge drove out ignorance and violence. Lukas was attempting offer a better life to countless people and making sure that no such thing happened would be a solid investment for those who preyed upon the weak. Most of them probably weren’t even truly bad people. They were just desperate and clinging to the life that put food in their bellies, no matter how many people that it hurt in turn. 

The rider in the front, a muscled man with hair shorn to his scalp and a nasty smile, urged his horse forward. His lance was rusted and splintered in spots, but still very deadly. When he lowered the lance tip to Lukas’s heart, Python knocked it aside with his hand. 

“Point that somewhere else, would ya?” Python demanded.

The man ignored him, turning to Lukas. “One last chance, Lukas. You can go back to your manor and be a good little stooge to the king or you can die like a man.”

Python refused to let either of them be cowed. “Neither of those sound like very favorable choices. Try again.” 

“Watch your tongue before someone cuts it out. There’s only so much one bow can do against twenty riders.”

While that was very true, it didn’t stop Python from gently shifting, putting Lukas behind him. If Lukas had his armor and a good lance, they might have had a slim chance here with as untrained as the riders that they were facing were, especially with the maze of the half constructed schoolhouse behind them. But that wasn’t the case. 

“Hamner, your issue is with me.” Lukas stated, voice even.

His eyes narrowed. “You’re damn right it is.” 

The abused lance was thrown into the dirt at Lukas’s feet. Python struggled to maintain his nonchalant appearance when he realized what the ringleader of the brutes, Hamner, wanted. One of his cronies tossed him a new lance, this one in considerably better shape than the one he’d given Lukas.

“Pick it up. If you’re one of the heroes of the same Deliverance that took its sweet time while my village starved, pick up that lance and prove it.”

Python stared down the leader of the group, insolently putting his weight on one leg, his arms crossed in front of him. There had been a dagger on Python’s leg since he was a young man and today was no exception. If anyone so much as tried to point a weapon at him, between his bow and the dagger they wouldn’t be leaving in the same shape as they entered the schoolyard. But he was only one man on Lukas had a weapon that was probably going crumble into dust at any second. This wasn’t going to end well.

None of this had been what Python expected when he decided to show up at Lukas’s door with a hammer and the name of a pub he wanted to go to. Lukas deserved better than this for trying to make the world just a little bit better, but what someone deserved and what they got were never the same beast.

“This is a trap.” Python murmured.

Lukas’s voice was barely audible. “I don’t have a choice.”

Closing his eyes for a moment, just breathing and centering himself, when Lukas opened them and stooped to pick up the lance, Hamner began to charge. Python ripped the bow off his back, notching an arrow and letting it fly. It buried itself in Hamner’s shield, doing nothing to slow him down and Python swore. Lukas lunged, his lance connecting with Hamner’s, a crack splitting down the shaft like a bolt of lightning. 

As Hamner yanked the reins to turn his horse around for another attack, Python snatched the dagger he kept strapped to his leg.

“Catch!” 

Tossing the lance aside, Lukas’s hand wrapped around the handle. While it was better than nothing, it wasn’t a weapon that Lukas was comfortable with. As the circle Hamner’s numbers had formed continually tightened around them, Python could only try to swallow the knowledge that after all that they’d survived, this could really be where they died. The anticlimax of it all would have made him roll his eyes at any other time. 

“Wait.” Lukas called out.

Hamner brought his horse to a halt a few paces from Lukas. 

“Let him go. He has nothing to do with this.” 

As much as Python wanted to make a comment, Hamner cut him off with an ugly sneer.

“No, I think I would enjoy it much more if you had to watch him die.” 

Lukas moved to put his back against Python’s, the two of them ready to make a final stand and do as much damage as they could before the inevitable occurred. Even if Python had lived most of his life how he wanted to, one of the biggest regrets in his heart was not getting to see Forsyth one last time. His bowstring creaked as he held drew it taut, choosing a target as Lukas adjusted his footing, struggling to get a good grip on his knife. 

“Don’t worry, though. You two won’t be separated for long.” Hamner snickered. 

A loud, excitable voice cut through the air. “Good thing there’s three of us, then!” 

A knight in green armor burst through the Hamner’s shoddy line. Hamner was forced to bring his lance up in defence as the knight engaged him. Parrying Hamner’s sloppy thrusts with ease, the knight knocked Hamner’s shield from him, forcing him to pull his horse backwards to avoid being impaled. Taking advantage of the distraction, Python notched another arrow, this one meeting its mark, breaking through chainmail and burying itself in Hamner’s elbow. Screaming, he dropped his weapon as the knight’s lance tip was held to his throat.

“Get out of here.” Forsyth snarled. “Next time you come out here, you’ll have to answer to the Order of Knights!”

“Better yet,” Python called out. “My next arrow is going through your skull.”

Hamner looked from Forsyth to Python and then to Lukas. From the rage in his eyes, Python knew that he’d be back again and with more numbers. But today, he turned his horse around, calling for a retreat. The sight of a genuine knight of Valentia had rattled the brigands enough that they turned tail without complaint. Python put his hand on Lukas’s arm and Lukas turned to him.

“Thank you.” Lukas sighed, looking down at Python’s dagger before handing it back to him. “I’m in debt to both of you.”

“Don’t mention it.” 

Python then raised his voice so Forsyth could hear. “Besides, it looks like we have someone else to heap our praise upon. Oh, kind and handsome knight, how ever can we thank you for defending our honor?”

Forsyth smiled at Python’s sarcasm. “Some of the more lowly and selfish knights of the past might ask for a feast in exchange for doing their sworn duty, but for you two, I might just ask for the pleasure of your company.”

~~~~~

Climbing off of his horse, after Forsyth was sure that had a good grip on her bridle and that his feet were out of the immediate vicinity of her hooves, he reached out and gently took Python’s wrist. Python obliged him, leaning in and kissing him on the lips. Even when Forsyth broke the kiss, Python stayed leaning in close for a few seconds, making Forsyth’s heart swell. Forsyth had to smell like sweat, horse, and oil, but it was something that they all had unfortunately gotten used to after joining the Deliverance. It didn’t matter if you were highborn or one of the villagers, more often than not, you stank. And right now, that familiar scent put pleasant memories of the three of them trying to do their best to clean up with a spare bucket of water or a creak before cramming into Lukas’s tent.

“Please take her, I have no idea what I’m doing.” Forsyth begged of Python, who reluctantly took the reins from him before holding out his hand for his mare to smell.

Forsyth went to Lukas, cupping his face and looking into his eyes.

“Are you all right? You weren’t harmed, were you? If he so much as put a scratch on either of you I swear I-”

“Forsyth, Forsyth,” Lukas murmured, trying to calm him down. “We’re both fine. You arrived just in time.” 

They kissed and then Forsyth embraced him tightly.

~~~~~

Even with the concern that Hamner and his group would soon return, it was difficult for Lukas not to be lost in the joy that they were all together again. Forsyth’s armor was going to crush him, but Lukas couldn’t bring himself to pull away.

“I missed you two so much.” Forsyth said.

Out of the three of them, Forsyth was the one who wore his heart on his sleeve. Even if he couldn’t always make it clear how he felt with articulate words, he found other ways. Lukas remembered Forsyth showing every book he managed to get his hands on to him, eager to share. It wasn’t until Clive made a curious comment that Lukas realized that this was Forsyth’s own way of gently courting him. At that time, Lukas and Clive had taken a break from discussing plans to disperse more troops. Standing up and stretching, Clive was looking at the books Lukas had laid out to keep the map they were examining from rolling up on itself.

“Where did you get all of these?” Clive asked, thumbing through the pages of one of them.

“Forsyth loaned them to me. He’s an avid reader.” 

“I’m surprised Python hadn’t used that knowledge poke fun at him.”

“It’s likely only a matter of time.”

“He must think highly of you if he’s willing to let you read his books. I’ve noticed that he has a difficult time speaking with people that he admires. He still doesn’t know how to be casual with me, although he has improved to the point where he doesn’t shout my praises or swear that he’d prepared to die for the Deliverance when I ask him to do some simple task. I’m pleased to hear that he’s found a more subtle way to display his affections.”

Lukas looked at Clive, his brow furrowing as he failed to comprehend where Clive was going with this. While Forsyth held him in high esteem, Lukas highly doubted that he was a hero to Forsyth as Clive was. 

“Forsyth respects me, but I don’t believe he holds the same hero worship for me that he has for you.”

“I don’t either.” Clive replied. “I think he’s smitten with you.”

All Lukas could do was pause, taken aback by Clive’s word.

Noticing Lukas’s expression, Clive continued. “I was the same way with Mathilda. My method of courting her initially was to send her everything from flowers to a silver lance. Evidently, Forsyth thinks that you’d prefer books.”

“I see.”

Seeing that Lukas was quickly becoming lost in thought, Clive stacked the books into one orderly pile and took the map. He turned before exiting the tent.

“Good luck, Lukas.”

“Thank you.” Lukas said softly.

It was sweet that Forsyth felt this way about him, but Lukas earnestly had no clue what to do with it. A straightforward and honest affair had the potential to be enjoyable, but he was unsure. As much as Lukas knew that he needed to speak with Forsyth about this, the first thing he did was to go and unburden himself to Python.

~~~~~

The three of them sat at the dining room table in Lukas’s manor alongside his brother. While Forsyth hadn’t yet given up hope on winning him over, having diligently cleaned up for dinner, Python preferred taunting him. His shirt was almost completely unbuttoned, hair uncombed, and as he drank his fill from the wine cellar, he regularly made a point to touch both Lukas and Forsyth as only a lover would. Eventually, his brother excused himself and Python made a rude gesture behind his back. While Forsyth shot him a look, Lukas only laughed. His mirth quickly faded away. 

“That was too close of a call today.” Lukas said, taking a sip of his wine.

Forsyth nodded. “I’m going to write to Sir Clive. He can have more knights sent here to protect the school.”

“Why bother?” Python interjected. “Let those killjoys go where they’re actually needed. I have a group that defends villagers in remote areas like this. We’ll take care of your brigand problem and in return, maybe you can teach ‘em a few things, Lukas. They’re not a total group of idiots, but some of ‘em are ain’t well suited to hefting around a sword. Forsyth can help keep them reigned in and send reports back to the castle. Everyone wins.”

Forsyth’s heart was soaring in his chest and he beamed, earning a smile from Lukas and a smirk from Python.

“We’d get to all stay here together.”

“That was a wonderful idea, Python.” Lukas complimented.

Python leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers behind his head. “Like I said, everyone wins.”

“We’ll send out the necessary letters tomorrow.”

Raising his glass, Forsyth looked to each of them. “To being together again.”

“To the end of a long separation.”

“To finding a bed big enough for the three of us.”

Their glasses clinked together and not long later, Lukas led them all to a lavished bedroom. Even if the lands his family held weren’t vast, they were lucrative and Lukas had led a very comfortable life here. Forsyth had never been unhappy growing up, his family always having gotten by well enough. His only real complaint was his father’s strictness and even then he’d just wanted what was best for him. Python’s childhood was a different story and there were many lean winters where poor growing seasons resulted in homes that couldn’t keep out the cold while his family went hungry. The three of them ending up here beneath the softest sheets Forsyth had ever felt seemed unreal, even if he’d never lost hope that this day would come.

~~~~~

After the battle of Duma tower, Alm had ordered everyone who had participated in the fighting, the harshest any of them had ever encountered, to immediately seek healers and rest. Everything that could be spared went to the seriously wounded from cots to blankets. If you could do without, you went without. It seemed like nobody had gotten out unscathed, but broken bones and other injuries were a small price to pay for getting out alive. Too many of them hadn’t. 

In the midst of heavy combat, a rapier slipped through Forsyth’s armor plates. It was only Mila’s blessing that had kept it from hitting anything vital and Forsyth was still in shock that he was alive. Lukas was hit with a blast of fire magic and while the skin on his arm had been salvaged through quick healing, he was still in considerable pain. Heavy packing was bandaged in place around Python’s shoulder where he’d taken an arrow. It might not have been a considerable wound had it not been that he’d continued to fire arrows despite the injury. It was bad, yet all that mattered was that none of them had fallen.

When they’d finally found one another, they collapsed into the tent that they’d been allotted just as countless others had with their lovers, friends, family. It was silent for hours on end as they held one another, sometimes allowing tears to escape. When sleep eventually came, they were tangled together as best as they could with their injuries. It may have been just the three of them in a half constructed tent, but inside was the home that would stay with them for the rest of their days. Not even the forces Mila or Duma could have torn them apart if given the chance.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! It's been a long time since I've written fanfiction, but the FE poly event was too tempting to resist. Big thank you to the organizers of that and to all of the writers and artists that participated, your content is amazing. Sorry about any typos. To be honest, I've only had time to play the Echoes once as well so characterization was a bit difficult for me. I always appreciate kudos and/or comments!


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